Making the Yultide Intersting
by fictionlover94
Summary: Merida and her family are staying with the MacGuffin clan for the Yule Party. Meanwhile one of Ian's sisters cooks up a plan to push them together, which leads to a pretty startling confession from Ian Macguffin while in hiding. Bit of a light T rating in the third chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**ALRIGHT:**

**Headcanon no. 1: Lord Macguffin's wife, died when young Macguffin was 11 years old.**

**Headcanon no. 2: Lord Macguffin's name is Branden. Young Macguffin is Ian. Lady Macguffin is Kirstin.**

**Headcanon no. 3: When Lady Macguffin passed away Branden's sister moved in to help take care of the children. ****Lord Macguffin's sister is Isobel**

**Note: This story can be read alone or set after my story The Courtship. The headcanon list is for anybody who might forget who each character probably about halfway through the story, when I start to use Lord Macguffin's real name rather then 'Lord Macguffin'. And get a question like who is Isobel again? Again I don't own Brave and this disclaimer idea is kinda stupid since none of us actually write for Pixar.**

Lainie MacGuffin was holding a small box in her hands. Inside was a couple clumps of a green plant. It was mistletoe and she was ready to hang it all around the Macguffin manor for the Yule party. It was said that if you happened to be under it with somebody they had to kiss. Lainie was actually hoping that princess, Merida would be under it with her brother, Ian. After all they were engaged and never even kissed yet. Ian and Merida had time together for at least a long time to the eldest Macguffin daughter.

Then Lainie had to smile at the mistletoe as she hung the first piece up. The last time they had mistletoe up was when Lady Macguffin was still alive. The kiss most memorable was when Lord Macguffin had to kiss his sister, Isobel, on the cheek. Everybody remember it, then they haven't put the mistletoe up since then. Lady Macguffin had passed away that following summer, around mid July.

"Lainie," said Ian coming into her room.

"Hi Ian," she said quickly hiding the mistletoe. She didn't need Ian to see it, who seemed a bit preoccupied lost in his thoughts.

"I need you to be down in the main hall in another 20 minutes okay? This is the first time the whole family will be here," he said before starting to walk into the hall. "Please be good okay and no speaking in Doric..."

"Myself but more polite? Or the good I should be around other ladies and in lessons?" she asked with a small smile. Ian only rolled his eyes walking out the room. He did briefly turn around and held up a finger of the number 1. He had no clue that Lainie had the mistletoe out.

After Ian was positively gone, she went back out into hall and started to hang more. Soon she was so wrapped into her hanging, she lost all track of time. She even missed the arrival of the royal family, which was happening at the current moment.

_~*~ Meanwhile ~*~_

Outside in the hallway Merida and the boys were busy looking around the Macguffin manor. All of which were waiting for the Macguffin children to come into view. Ian was watching Merida take in her surroundings and both blushed when there eyes meet. She was so pretty today with her hair done up in a long braid down her back, a few curls deliberately hanging out. Her holiday attire was a bright emerald green dress with festive embroidery. Clearly it was a new dress since she didn't seem so comfortable.

The queen was in a new dress as well of bright scarlet red and the boys all in there best clothes. That is except Fergus, he was dressed as he would with any other one of his friends.

Each of the main Macguffin family stood smiling at them. Lord Branden Macguffin's sister Isobel was with them as well. Since the passing of Kirstin, Isobel had moved in.

"Branden!" said Fergus making a way to his friend.

"Fergus!" said Branden and both of them patted each other's shoulders as soon as they meet. Branden turned to each of his children and sighed when he didn't see Lainie in the mix. She was still busy humming along and decorating that she didn't make it down in time.

"Queen Elinor, Princess Merida, the young princes," said Branden not exactly looking that thrilled anymore. If Lainie was doing something she was going to be in trouble. She was already skating on thin ice already.

See she last time Lainie was late for an event it was for her aunts wedding. Branden's other sister Lorana to her husband Patrick. By the time Lainie had shown up, she had 2 of her fathers dogs with her. Let's just the say the rest you really didn't need to know.

"Fergus you remember Isobel," said Branden to his friend, then turned to Elinor and the children. "You see after me wife died, my sister Isobel helps me care for the children."

The woman of a regal stance stood up her forest dress twirling around her feet. She was the last of the Macguffin family (0f that particular generation) to be married. Fergus smiled and waved, he remembered Isobel. Or Izzy from when he was younger.

Branden then started to introduce the rest of his family around. He started with the young children and worked his way up until he reached Evander. Each of the children were polite and spoke in Scots for there eldest brother, and his betrothed. Then Lainie made her way into the room and smiled sheepishly at everybody. While Maisie and Mae were in holiday clothes she was still in her burnt orange everyday dress rather then her white and silver one. Her wavy brown hair still in a mess and holding a green plant in her hand.

"Oh hello I was still decorating and wasn't aware of the time," she said as she looked at her hands. Then Lainie finally looked up. "This is mistletoe, word is that if your caught underneath it with somebody you must kiss that person."

Branden face palmed clearly remembering that he had to kiss his sister underneath that infernal plant. Maisie and Mae were pretty sure that Lainie did this so that Merida and Ian were going to have to kiss. Ian, who had caught onto her plna, faced her and walked over to her.

"Why don't I help you get ready?" he asked and then turned to the royals and their father. "If you excuse us."

His father nodded and Lainie curtsied finally leaving with her brother. Branden and Fergus went on to talking with each other about a hunt they would go on. Aunt Isobel and Elinor were talking about the wedding, Merida was left talking with Evander and Bram. Then the triplets with Maisie and Mae. When they were standing in her room Ian deemed it appropriate to speak to her.

"What are thinking hanging mistletoe around here? We didn't hang it since mum died," he said angrily but softened when he mentioned his mothers death. "And I don't have any desire to kiss Merida!"

"When did I say something about you having the desire to kiss the princess?" Lainie only smirked heading behind a wall to change into her dress and put on something to cover her sweat stench.

At this Ian could only slap himself, realizing that he didn't say anything like that. Behind the wall Lainie could only smirk, as she pulled on her white dress. Then she tightened the belt around her thick waist. She had a tiny bit of a belly still as she reached the height of puberty.

She stepped our and looked at her brother. "I'm happy to say at least my sister in law is going to be married to my brother. Come on I can tell you how to fix my hair."

Ian sighed and started to work on her hair as soon as she sat down.

_^_^ Meanwhile ^_^_

"What's your favorite food to snack on?" asked Bram after Evander proposed a game to get to know Merida. They desperately wanted to talk in Doric and talk about her, without her knowing. That would have been rude, and besides Merida did know some Doric. It was her family that had no clue.

"Apples and muffins," said Merida, she used to sneak them all the time.

Bram smiled he liked apples but didn't really like the muffins. Evander smiled he liked the muffin's but never the fruit aspect that apple's were. They continued to question her about her life and her likes, dislikes, etc. Until finally they reached the door that was Lainie's room.

They looked her and Merida perked up when one of them said her name.

"I know you had a crush on Merida since you were little. You remember that and I know you want to kiss her," said Lainie heard Merida. Merida stepped back when she heard that come out. He wanted to kiss her? What they didn't know was Lainie's plan to push them even closer together.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh that girl," muttered aunt Isobel as she ran across another piece of mistletoe hanging around. The last time it was too embarrassing when Brandon had to kiss her in front of everybody. Isobel just kept rushing to the next guest room. The king and queen's room was lavishly made up and now it was onto the princesses room. Brandon and Fergus didn't mind this idea but both Elinor and Isobel were scandalized. The princess's room was right next to Ian's room. The boys were also in that hallway along with the other children but it was highly inappropriate. Boys and girls shouldn't have rooms next to each other.

Finally Isobel found herself outside of Merida's room and opened the door. The nursemaid, Bonnie, was in the middle of making the bed.

"Bonnie," she hissed. "Finish up in here, we need dinner ready in another hour or so." Bonnie looked up her blond hair brushed away from her face. She nodded quickly and started to finish freshening up the room. As soon as they walked out they passed by a red faced Merida.

**~* While ~***

Merida had turned a tomato red color, actually very close to her hair color. Ian had the desire to kiss her? That was unexpected, plus the fact that he had a crush on her for so long. She had clue and rather oblivious about many things. Hopefully he didn't go any further then that.

"Do you want to kiss him too?" asked Bram looking up at Merida.

"You know Lainie is going to try to have you two kiss," said Evander. He knew his sister and her plans, Lainie was the one that ruined there aunt Loren's wedding. A bunch of dogs and food in the same room is never a good idea. Then the year after she had accidently took her father's bow and shot at one of the pigs. They had pork for the next couple of nights.

Both of them stopped talking to hear what was being said next.

"Lainie don't worry, dad wouldn't force any of us to marry. He made a promise to mum before she died that they we wouldn't be in an arrange marriage," said Ian reassuring his sister of her worries.

"Because we all knew that you actually wanted to go and compete for Merida's hand. Because you actually liked her," said Lainie making a kissy face at him. Ian blushed and then looked helpless at themselves in the mirror. He really didn't want to fight his sister on his matter. She was afterall correct about this statement.

Merida's jaw dropped at this, he actually wanted to marry her? And it took Merida a couple of months and a week to pick him, when he already knew he wanted to marry her? Of course they knew each other for so long, they were 7 when they had meet.

Finally they had heard the dinner bell beginning to ring. It was a loud bell that aunt Isobel usually rang, but now it was the main cook.

"So did you hear about Torrance Macintosh's engagement? I heard it was arranged," started Ian changing the subject quickly. Lainie rolled her eyes at this but nodded in agreement. She heard about it but there was something about it that was off. The boys and Merida raced off before Lainie and Ian could catching them listening to her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Headcannon: Age differences between each of them. Ian is two years older then Merida. Lainie is the same age as Merida. Evander is three years younger then Lainie. Bram is 4 years younger then him. The twins are two years younger then Bram.**

**And Merida not knowing about the entire truth about the 'question' was actually inspired by a book I read. An excellent series by Caroline B. Cooney called the **Time Travelers Quartet** (It's actually a series of 4 books)****. Any way in one of them, it mentions how a one of the main girls was kept in the dark about it until her wedding night. So that is where that came from. **

The dinner bell rang louder as everybody got closer. The triplets along with Maisie and Mae were already trying to sneak the cakes into there bedrooms. But it was out of the question to bring them into the twins room. Aunt Isobel checked there rooms every night to make sure they weren't sneaking anything around. The last time they were sneaky about something it was a forest animal they had snuck into the manor. What was undisclosed to the rest of the family besides Brandon.

The girls had raced past everybody else and the triplets were surprised to see that they were faster then themselves. Brandon and Fergus just chuckled at the antics of the children. Followed next to the table was Ian and Lainie all in good spirits. Both Brandon and Isobel were happy to see Lainie in an appropriate dress for the evening. Bram soon joined them but Merida was still with Evander, embarrassed to even come out.

"I cannot, and I repeat cannot go out there after hearing that!" said Merida to the younger Macguffin boy. Her head was still spinning, in her mind it sounded like he loved her since they had meet. Then she learned that he had a desire to kiss her? Most guys wanted to bed the girl (either the wife or a mistress) before they not, not just worrying about kissing him.

"You know Merida you're going to have to face him sooner then later. I mean after all you are to be marriage, not even a week into the New Year!" said Evander shaking his short brown hair. While Brandon, Ian, Maisie and Mae had blond hair, the rest had wavy brown hair, courtesy of Kirstin Macguffin.

That was when Merida face palmed, that was true. They were engaged and he must be pretty happy about this. Merida then looked at Evander and sighed, how could she not know? They most likely heard the footsteps walking away.

"Merida," he said again making eye contact, he was used to calling her by her name by now. Normally everybody in the kingdom usually used her title basically. Which made Evander smile, the whole Macguffin clan was pleased to learn that Ian had won the hand of the princess. "If there is one thing I'm positive about it's Lainie. My sister always has a plan whether or not if it gets her in trouble."

If anything Merida and Lainie were kind of alike, both with the same unruly hair. Both had the same attitude toward something's even Lainie would turn her mother into a bear. Though Kirstin never did anything to displease any of her children. Kirstin Macguffin had treated her children fairly and equally. Though Ian was one of her favorites to pass on her famous cake recipe.

"What are you saying," started Merida tossing her braid over her shoulder.

"I'm saying that she will try to get you together. Just go with it, don't always listen to her since she makes her mistakes as well. Everything will work out, you'll see."

He was so confident that Merida had to believe him. She walked back in with Evander and looked around for an empty seat. At the head of the table was Brandon with Fergus next to him. Elinor was sitting next to Fergus with Isobel next to her. Ian sat at his father's side with an empty seat for Merida between Ian and Lainie. Sheepish she sat down giving anybody who was looking at her an apologetic look.

There was something brewing in the air and Ian could tell. After that conversation with his sister, he was definitely suspicious. He could hear aunt Isobel and Elinor planning the wedding from across the table. They were currently talking about how to seal the hand fasting ceremony. They had three options one with a wine drinking, the second kissing, and the third candle lighting.

Finally Isobel turned to Merida for her input, after all she was the one getting married.

"Well I like the candle lighting," said Merida and casually looked at Ian. "What do you think Ian?"

He looked up from his plate and then looked at her before smiling. At least they were talking about this and not arguing about it like how aunt Loren got married. They [Loren and her soon to be husband] were arguing about everything left and right.

"I like the candles, since we're going to be drinking a lot that night anyway. And the kissing, should err, wait until that night," he said going through each reason. He didn't want to go into any more details then needed from him.

"You mean baby making?" guessed Lainie putting in her two cents. Ian only shot her a look, he was already nervous about kissing her. Now he had _that_ to worry about. The triplets and the twins looked up from their seats.

"Where do babies come from?" asked Harris one of the braver triplets. That question enveloped everybody like a thick fart. Fergus and Brandon stopped talking and Elinor looked scandalized. Only aunt Isobel looked like this was a no big deal question. Even Merida leaned in to hear what they had to say at this. Despite Merida being the next queen she was in the dark about this one. The only thing she knew that it involved a man and a lot of kissing.

However before Elinor could berate her son about that question one of the twins leaned in and against his ear. Mae whispered what she knew in his ear and Harris went back to eating. Isobel assured her that what Mae told him wasn't the entire truth, and she made sure they were in the dark.

Lainie was disappointed not to get much info on the subject. But she wanted to know as well. Finally she went back to her plan to get Ian to kiss Merida for once. Brandon and Fergus coughed and started to include Evander on the subject they were talking about, while Bram went back to talking with the younger kids.

"Why not have them kiss?" asked Lainie looking at her aunt. "I mean they could always practice before they go at it in front of everyone. I know that not many people get a chance at choosing. But it looks like your more in love that way doesn't it? I mean Dad and the king, and the other lords had to do it unless it was changed."

Elinor actually looked thoughtful at this, bringing back memories of her wedding day. Aunt Isobel just faced palmed and Ian was sending her a dark look. He was ready to pull her out of the room one more time. Merida however looked amazed that Lainie nearly convinced her mother to change plans. Merida herself could never even do that!

Finally Isobel and Elinor were talking about incorporating both into the ceremony. Lainie made eye contact with Ian once more and then looked up. Right where Merida and Ian were sitting was a small piece of mistletoe, added later when the cooks were done bringing out food. Ian gulped and then looked at Merida who followed her gaze.

"Hey looks like some people have to kiss before they get up," she remarked happily. Not only was there mistletoe above Merida and Ian's heads; but above Elinor and Fergus's as well. And to make things interesting, above Hubert and Mae. While Hamish actually looked a bit unhappy about.

Elinor motioned and got Fergus's attention before getting a quick peck on the mouth. They had done this numerous times in the past and now it was no different. Mae quickly kissed Hubert on the cheek like they were siblings. Finally Evander and Lainie were watching Ian and Merida. Merida reached up and kissed him on the cheek. He turned pink before he did the same, and Lainie actually looked disappointed.

Then out of nowhere Ian did exactly what he was afraid of doing in the first place. With one hand brushing a couple of loose strands away from her face leaned in and kissed her. Merida's eyes wide and then closed, after a few moments pulled himself away. Lainie suddenly felt like a proud mum.


End file.
